Traps twice a week? Yay or Nay?

**305GUY** · 09-30-2005, 11:50 AM

As the title says. Its a pretty small muscle so i wouldn't see it being to bad. any thoughts?

**Papi93** · 09-30-2005, 05:06 PM

As long as you see progress, that's what matters. If you are able to do more weight, reps, better technique, or etc., you'll make progress. Everyone recovers at different rates. This may be due to genetics, rest, nutrition, cycles, etc.

**Billyspt4** · 10-01-2005, 01:29 PM

I do them twice a week and I am seeing great results. I typically do them like Tuesday, Saturday. Gives them 3-4 days to heal

**ouchthathurts** · 10-01-2005, 03:17 PM

......

**guest589745** · 10-02-2005, 02:05 PM

Deadlift!

**ouchthathurts** · 10-02-2005, 05:56 PM

.......

**Keyser Sozey** · 10-02-2005, 06:50 PM

I have excellent trap development, so I'll do 4-6 sets once a week (after deadlifts). However, if it was lagging I would do it twice, since it's a small muscle.

**guest589745** · 10-02-2005, 08:24 PM

yea when yer first starting out I would say you could get away with doing virtually only those exercises and get gains. even if you have lifted for a while you can make gains with those really compound movements. try doing some clean and presses and see how much it takes out of you. That is a real over all strength builder IMO.

**Gassy** · 10-03-2005, 01:21 AM

Traps are a very dense muscle, like calves. Some people work calves 5x's a week. Your traps get worked with just about every exercise, think about it, even just to stablize. I think shruging 2x's a week is fine, but only if your traps aren't growing from basic heavy movements(deads, heavy shrugs, cleans, bent-over rows, even squats) like some of the guys said before me. But don't under estimate the beating your traps can take, my traps grew huge carrying a 80lb backpack for 5-20 miles a day during marine corps infantry school.

**HULKBOY** · 10-03-2005, 05:27 PM

man im lucky W/my traps too like KEYSER SOZEY I get away W/a couple sets of heavy as i can go shrugging every other week and they grow I think the key to trap growth is resting them cause it seems like they are always getting used (now if only it were that easy for my calves) LOL

**Keyser Sozey** · 10-03-2005, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Skullsmasher

yea when yer first starting out I would say you could get away with doing virtually only those exercises and get gains. even if you have lifted for a while you can make gains with those really compound movements. try doing some clean and presses and see how much it takes out of you. That is a real over all strength builder IMO.

Actually, I do my entire back (wide grip weighted chins X 4; Bent over barbell Rows X 4; Deadlifts X 4; then I do my traps.
I had Clean and Press in my former routine (w/ delts). However, I figure since I'm squatting heavy, and deadlifting (for back and hams), that clean & presses are too much.
Btw, I totally agree that clean and press is an awesome mass builder ( every time I do them, like squats and deads, I feel like rolfing).

Originally Posted by HULKBOY

man im lucky W/my traps too like KEYSER SOZEY I get away W/a couple sets of heavy as i can go shrugging every other week and they grow I think the key to trap growth is resting them cause it seems like they are always getting used (now if only it were that easy for my calves) LOL

Hahaha. My calves are stubborn as hell too. I figured a way to make them grow about three years ago. I've put on almost two inches on my calves since....pm me if you want the 411 on my calf routine...

**guest589745** · 10-04-2005, 11:43 AM

yes, it is hard to do all those and not be too sore from deads to squat or too sore from cleans to squat etc.

**beuleux** · 10-04-2005, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by 305GUY

As the title says. Its a pretty small muscle so i wouldn't see it being to bad. any thoughts?

On the contrary... the traps are a large and very strong muscle with a short range of movement, which is why it is easier to shrug heavy weights than it is to squat with them, your traps probably get more incidental training than any other muscle, its your traps that support the weight on you shoulders when you squat and that hold you shoulder up every time you press or lift anything. The traps are diamond shaped which means they can pull the shoulders down as well as up, have you ever tried or heard of reverse shrugs?

**justin2305** · 10-04-2005, 03:05 PM

i only hit em once a wk and just two exercises for em, but ill hit delts on that same day so ur hittin ur traps a lil bit more. i do 4sets of db shrugs and 4sets of bb front shrugs. that seems to work for me just when ur shruging up pinch real tight at the top and let em down good and slow. make those badboys burn and only rest a good 45secs between sets of them.